The 'Black Panther' star admits she turned to drinking and smoking to help her cope with the pressure of trying to succeed before making it big in Hollywood.
- July 24, 2018
AceShowbiz - "Black Panther" star Letitia Wright struggled with anxiety and depression before her big break in Hollywood.
The actress has become a huge star after starring as Black Panther's sister Shuri in the blockbuster superhero film, but before she hit it big she turned to drinking and smoking to help her cope with the pressure of trying to succeed.
"I was depressed and full of anxiety," she tells W magazine. "I think it was that pressure to be accepted, to be somebody."
And snarky comments about her acting talents and her look on social media sites really started to get her down: "When you're looking outside of yourself for happiness and validation, a mean comment on social media can wreck you.
"I was OK when I was on set, hiding behind my work, but when I wasn't acting I was full of fear and doubt, trying to fill this void inside of me any way I could: drinking, smoking. It was bad."
Letitia also almost missed out on her big break after she considered walking away from acting when she found religion.
"When I first became a Christian, I said, 'I'm never acting again. I'm done'," she says.
However, she reconsidered when she realised she could take control of her career by turning down projects she felt clashed with her principles and morals.
"For me, anything I attach myself to needs to have a purpose," she tells the publication. "And if it feels like a red light in any way, I don't do it."
